Sintered silicon-containing iron alloys are known. These alloys exhibit a yield strength of more than 400 N/mm.sup.2 only when they have a silicon content of more than 6% and when sintered for five hours at a temperature between 1225.degree. and 1275.degree. C.
It is also known that the addition of iron-phosphorus powders to iron powders causes a reduction in the time of sintering when compared to the sintering of iron powder without the iron phosphorus additive. When using the iron-phosphorus powders admixed with the iron powders, a liquid phase can be formed at the sintering temperature resulting in an increased density, which increase of density may be correlated to increased amounts of the iron-phosphorus additive. However, the addition of more than 0.8% of phosphorus results in structural components formed from such phosphorus-containing sintered iron alloys which have increased hardness and brittleness and lowered workability.